Tortilla wrap food product and method for making same

ABSTRACT

A food product and a method for making the food product. The food product comprises a tortilla shell, typically having perforations therein, in which a cylindrical food product, such as a sausage link or frankfurter is tightly wrapped. The method includes heating, as by deep frying or on a roller grill, the novel food product.

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. application No.60/456,076 filed Mar. 20, 2003 and incorporates by reference the '076application. This application also claims priority from (and is acontinuation in part of) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/407,014,filed Apr. 3, 2003 (which claims priority from U.S. application No.60/370,374, filed Apr. 5, 2002).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Mexican food items, on the whole, are enjoying great popularity.Tortillas are sometimes used as a cover for wrapping a food item such asa sausage link wrap or an egg-based product. Often, a sausage link orother food item may be wrapped in a tortilla and served in this manner.Applicant provides a novel tortilla wrap food product with a number ofnovel variations thereto.

[0003] First, Applicant provides for a cylindrical food item, such as asausage link or a frankfurter, wrapped tightly in a tortilla, heated andserved hot. Applicant provides a number of novel variations in this foodwrap including a variation which utilizes a tortilla shell that has beenperforated prior to combining with a food product and heating thecombined food. Applicant has found that providing perforations to thetortilla shell prior to heating avoids swelling and delamination of thetortilla shell when it is heated.

[0004] In another preferred embodiment of the tortilla food wrapproduct, Applicant provides for the maintenance of a soft and pliabletortilla shell by coating with oil at least one side, typically theouter side of the tortilla, prior to rolling the sausage link therein.Applicant has found that this allows the tortilla to maintain itssoftness and pliability especially during heating, as for example,heating on a roller grill.

[0005] In an alternate preferred embodiment of the perforated tortilla,Applicant provides for a special blend or recipe that allows thetortilla shell to stay moist for a longer period of time and maintainits freshness.

[0006] Applicant also provides a method for perforating the tortilla,including a novel quill cutter for perforating the tortilla shell priorto wrapping and heating of the food product.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide for a noveltortilla food wrap product. It is another object of the presentinvention to provide for a novel food wrap product in which acylindrical food item, such as a sausage is rolled in a tortilla shelland served heated.

[0008] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide fora tortilla wrapped food product in which the tortilla is perforated.

[0009] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide fora tortilla wrapped food product in which the tortilla shell isperforated before wrapping the food product and subsequent heating ofthe tortilla wrapped food product.

[0010] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide fora tortilla wrapped food product, including a novel method of making thesame, wherein the tortilla shell is, prior to combining with the foodcore, coated with a vegetable oil to maintain softness during subsequentheating.

[0011] It is another object of the present invention to provide a methodof preparing a novel tortilla wrapped food product by perforating thetortilla shell prior to combining with the food core to preventsubsequent swelling, cracking or delamination of the tortilla during theheating process.

[0012] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide fora tortilla wrapped food product, in which the tortilla shell isperforated before wrapping the food product and then deep drying totortilla wrap food product for the purpose of adding color, flavor, anda fluffy texture to the tortilla.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Applicants provides a circular tortilla shell with a cylindricalfood core such as a sausage rolled therein.

[0014] Applicant further provides for a novel food product in providinga tortilla shell, typically circular, to which a layer of vegetable oilhas been applied to the surface thereof, for rolling a cylindrical foodproduct such as a sausage therein.

[0015] Applicant provides a novel tortilla food product and a method ofmaking the same in providing a perforated tortilla in which a core foodproduct, typically cylindrical, is placed, wrapped therein and heated.

[0016] Applicant provides for these objects and more in providing anovel quill cutter designed for perforating a tortilla.

[0017] Applicant provides for these objects and more in providing anovel method of making a tortilla by providing a coating of oil,typically vegetable oil, to the surface of the tortilla prior tocombining it with a core food product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate, in perspective view, cross section andnon-cross sectional views of Applicant's novel tortilla wrap foodproduct.

[0019]FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate, in perspective view, (cut away andnon-cut away) the results of heating (as by deep frying), a tortillafood wrap product without providing perforations to the tortilla shellthereof, these Figures provided, in part, for comparison to FIGS. 1A and1B.

[0020]FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate, in elevational views, a tortilla shell(round perforation) and a cylindrical food core for use in preparationof Applicant's novel food product.

[0021]FIG. 3C illustrates a tortilla shell having elongated or slotshaped perforations.

[0022]FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart setting forth preferred methods ofpreparing Applicant's novel food product illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0023]FIG. 5 illustrates, in perspective view, partially cut away, adeep fryer for use and deep frying Applicant's novel food product.

[0024]FIG. 6 illustrates a roller grill for use in heating Applicant'snovel tortilla wrap food product, in perspective view.

[0025]FIG. 7 illustrates a novel quill cutter and a novel method ofperforating the tortilla shell of Applicant's novel food wrap item.

[0026]FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate, in perspective view, a method of handrolling Applicant's tortilla food wrap product.

[0027]FIG. 8C illustrates, in perspective view, the step of applyingsome water to a surface of the tortilla shell, as, for example, bymisting.

[0028]FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate, in perspective view, an open condition(FIG. 9) and a closed condition (FIG. 10) of a novel case for molding,storing, transportation of a multiplicity of Applicant's novel tortillawrap food products.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029]FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a novel tortilla food wrap product (10)including a tortilla shell (12) having an inner face (12A) (See FIG. 3A)and an outer face (12B) and perforations (14) there through (that is,through the tortilla shell) which shell is wrapped around a cylindricalfood core (16) such as a sausage link or frankfurter.

[0030]FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate such a novel tortilla food wrap product(10) having perforations (14) in the tortilla shell (12). Morespecifically, FIG. 1A illustrates the novel tortilla wrap food product(10) after it has been heated in the manner set forth below, whichillustration shows the food product in two sections, the result of a cuttransversely to a longitudinal axis for an illustration of how thetortilla shell maintains its integrity and tight wrap during the heatingprocess. FIG. 1B illustrates the preheating configuration of thetortilla wrap food product (10) after the cylindrical food core (16) hasbeen rolled into the tortilla shell.

[0031]FIGS. 2A and 2B are provided to illustrate the results of heating,as by deep frying, the tortilla wrap food product illustrated in FIGS.1A and 1B without, however, providing perforations to the tortillashell. Note in particular the swelling that occurs between the inner andouter layer of the tortilla shell and, further, the separation that mayoccur from the food core. It may be appreciated that asthetics, texture,integrity and taste are all improved with the perforations ofApplicant's novel tortilla wrap product and method of making the same,when comparing FIGS. 1A and 1B to FIGS. 2A and 2B. Applicant hasconfirmed improved texture and taste and other advantages with use ofthe perforated tortilla shell.

[0032]FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a typical starting point for thepreparation of Applicant's novel tortilla wrap food product. Morespecifically, FIG. 3A illustrates a typical prepared tortilla shell thathas already been heated, though it is not typically nor necessarily hotduring the wrapping process. While any of the many tortilla shellscommercially available may be used for perforation, Applicant's tortillashell, in a preferred embodiment, would have, especially for the productthat is intended to be heated on a roller grill (see FIG. 6), a recipeincluding more oil, typically from ½ to 1 percentage vegetable oil. Theaddition of oil to the method of heating, as on a roller grill, ofApplicant's product may be used instead of misting to help hold theproduct together before, during, and after heating.

[0033] Perforations (14) are illustrated, here in a random pattern andextending completely through the tortilla shell. FIG. 3B illustrates atypical cylindrical core food product such as a sausage link, hot dog,egg product or bean product. The cylindrical core product wouldtypically have a longitudinal axis that would be equal to approximatelythe diameter of the typically circular tortilla illustrated in FIG. 3A.

[0034]FIG. 4 illustrates a preferred method of making the novel foodproduct illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B. Step A includes a step ofproviding cooked ready to heat and eat tortilla shells, such as flourtortillas. Step B includes a step of providing a typically precookedcore food product such as a bean product, egg product, sausage or hotdog link. Tortilla shells and precooked sausage or frankfurter links arereadily available from known sources. Step C includes a step ofperforation of the tortilla shells which may be perforated by anymanner, such as manually by a pick or a quill or by automated procedures(see FIG. 7 below). The perforations may be random or have a regularpattern. The perforations may be cylindrical, slotted, elongated or anyother shape (compare FIGS. 3A and 3C). Optionally, flavoring may beapplied to the tortilla shell, typically before wrapping. Step Dincludes a step of wrapping the sausage link snuggly in a tortilla shelland may, optionally include the step of misting with water (see FIG. 8C)at least a portion of the inner surface of the tortilla prior towrapping so as to help the inner surface stick to the outer surface ofthe tortilla (where it overlaps) when tightly rolled around the foodproduct. Misting may especially be useful with those food items to beheated on a roller grill.

[0035] Following wrapping of the sausage in the tortilla, the foodproduct may either be heated as by placement on a roller grill (Step E)(see FIG. 6) or as by deep frying (Step F) (see FIG. 5). Optionally,prior to heating steps (E) or (F) and after wrapping, the food productmay be frozen and packed for later thawing, heating, and use. Followingheating on a roller grill, oven, microwave or deep frying (or any othersuitable manner), the food product is removed and cooled (Step G) andthen served, typically while still warm (Step H). Certain details of themethod set forth in FIG. 4 will be discussed below.

[0036]FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate two methods of heating Applicant's noveltortilla wrap product (10). FIG. 6 illustrates a roller grill (18)having a multiplicity of heated rollers. Such roller grills are known inthe art. One such roller grill that may be used with Applicant's novelmethod and food product includes one manufactured by STAR of Smithville,Tenn., as Model No. 258. The STAR machine may be set on a low settingand will satisfactorily cook, in 10 to 14 minutes, a 2 ounce skinlesssausage, 6 inches long and about ⅞″ in diameter, wrapped in a 6-inchdiameter flour tortilla about {fraction (1/16)}″ thick. It is typicallypreferred that the roller grill heat the interior of the sausage link toat least about 145° F.

[0037]FIG. 5 illustrates a deep fryer machine (20) such as the deepfryer machine for making french-fries or any other deep fried foodproduct. A deep fryer machine (20) is provided with sufficient cookingoil, such as peanut, canola or vegetable oil, to completely immerse thefood product. The oil may be heated to about 350° (typically 300°-500°)in which case submersion of the 2-ounce skinless frank in the 6-inchtortilla will be cooked to a light golden brown and removed after aboutfour minutes.

[0038]FIG. 7 illustrates one manner of performing the step ofperforating the tortilla shell (12) with perforations (14). The stepillustrated in FIG. 7 involves the use of a novel quill cutter (22).Quill cutter (22) is a device that includes a multiplicity of elongatedcylindrical solid or hollow quills (22A) extending from a cylindricalframe (22B), the frame typically mounted rotatably to a pair of handles(22C), the handles coincident with a longitudinal axis of thecylindrical frame. The device may be rolled across a flat layingtortilla shell (12). The removed ends of the quill will createperforations (14) through the body of the tortilla shell.

[0039]FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a manner of manually rolling a tortillawrap food product (10) by rolling an elongated, cylindrical food coreproduct (16) in a flat tortilla shell (12) which has perforations (14)there through. The steps include placing the food product centrallyacross one edge of the tortilla shell and rolling it into the shell suchthat the shell fits snuggly about the food product. FIG. 8C illustratesa manner in which a bottle containing water may be used to apply a spraymist of water to the inside surface of the tortilla shell prior towrapping. This helps maintain the integrity of the wrap.

[0040]FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a food product case (30), such as a casemade out of durable plastic or the like, for the molding, storage, andtransportation of a multiplicity of tortilla wrap food products (10)therein. As can be seen in the figures, the case is of clamshellconstruction with mirrored shell halves (30A and 30B) joined along ahinge (30C). The halves include matching cutouts (32) that, when the twohalves are folded over in a carrying position as illustrated in FIG. 10,are dimensioned to snuggly receive the cylindrical food wrap thereinsuch that the tortilla does not start to unfold or unwrap from thecylindrical shape. This case may be used for carrying, storage andfreezing the food products.

[0041] Although the invention has been described with reference tospecific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in alimited sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, aswell as alternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparentto persons skilled in the art upon the reference to the description ofthe invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claimswill cover such modifications that fall within the scope of theinvention.

1. A method of making and handling a tortilla wrapped food product, themethod comprising the steps of: providing a tortilla shell with an innerand an outer face; providing a food core; perforating the tortillashell; wrapping the food core in the tortilla shell with the food coreadjacent the inner face of the tortilla shell; cooking the wrap; andremoving the wrap and allowing it to cool
 2. The method of claim 1wherein the cooking step includes deep frying the wrap.
 3. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the cooking step includes the step of heating the wrapon a roller grill.
 4. The method of claim 1 further including a step ofproviding a quill cutter.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein theperforating step includes the step of rolling the quill cutter acrossthe tortilla shell.
 6. The method of claim 1 further including, prior tothe wrapping step, the step of misting the tortilla shell.
 7. The methodof claim 1 further including the step of providing a case for thestorage and handling of a multiplicity of wrapped food products.
 8. Themethod of claim 7 further including, after the removing step, the stepof placing the wrap in the case.
 9. The method of claim 1 furtherincluding, after the wrapping step and before the cooking step, the stepof freezing the wrap.
 10. The method of claim 9 further including thestep of providing a case for storage and handling of a multiplicity ofwrapped food products and wherein, before the freezing step, furtherincluding the step of placing the wraps in the case.
 11. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the wrapping step includes the step of tightening thewrap such that a portion of the inner face of the tortilla shell isflush against an outer surface of the sausage and a portion of the innerface of the tortilla shell is flush against a portion of the outer faceof the tortilla shell.
 12. The method of claim 1 further including,prior to the wrapping step, the step of coating the inside face of thetortilla shell with flavoring.
 13. The method of claim 2 wherein thecooking step proceeds in a cooking oil heated to a temperature in therange of about 300° to 500° until the tortilla shell is a golden browncolor, whereupon it is removed from the cooking oil.
 14. The method ofclaim 2 wherein the perforations are either cylindrical or slotted. 15.The method of claim 14 wherein the perforations are randomly located.16. The method of claim 3 wherein the tortilla shell of the providingstep includes about ½ to 1% cooking oil.
 17. The method of claim 1wherein the food core is one of the following: bean product, eggproduct, frankfurter or sausage link.